Expeditions Dataset

The expeditions/ dataset provides the spatial and operational backbone of the Pristine Seas Science Database. It registers each expedition and the associated fieldwork—tracking where, when, and how different survey methods were used across the globe.

All other datasets link back to this spatial framework, enabling consistent integration, filtering, and analysis across expeditions, regions, and methods.

1 Tables

1.1 expeditions.info

This table contains metadata for every scientific expedition conducted by the Pristine Seas team. Each row defines a unique field campaign—its country, region, vessel, leadership, dates, and collaborators.

Table 1: expeditions.info Table Schema
Field Type Required Description
exp_id STRING true Unique expedition identifier in the format ISO3_YEAR (e.g., FJI_2025)
number INTEGER true Sequential expedition number (e.g., 43)
name STRING true Official or working expedition name
country STRING true Primary country or jurisdiction visited
start_date DATE true Expedition start date in ISO 8601 format (YYYY-MM-DD)
end_date DATE true Expedition end date in ISO 8601 format (YYYY-MM-DD)
lead STRING true Overall expedition lead
science_lead STRING true Lead scientist for the research campaign
vessel STRING false Name of the vessel or platform used
ship_track STRING false WKT LINESTRING representing the ship’s route (optional)
partners STRING false Institutional collaborators (optional)
description STRING false Brief description of expedition goals and scope
notes STRING false Optional free-text notes or admin metadata

Since 2009, Pristine Seas has conducted 47 expeditions across 30 countries and territories, spanning tropical reefs, polar seas, deep trenches, and remote archipelagos.

Figure 1: Timeline of expeditions

1.2 expeditions.sites

This table defines the primary spatial unit for fieldwork. A site represents a distinct instance where a survey method (e.g., UVS, pBRUV, eDNA) was applied at a specific location and time during an expedition.

While method-specific datasets (e.g., uvs.sites, sub.sites) manage their own site records, the shared expeditions.sites table acts as the central reference for joining across methods, mapping, and spatial summaries.

What is a site?

A site is defined by a unique combination of exp_id, method, and a 3-digit site number
(e.g., FJI_2025_uvs_001)

  • Represents one field survey event using a given method.
  • May contain multiple stations representing depth strata or replicates

Examples:

  • A UVS site may include fish and benthic surveys across several depth zones
  • A pBRUV site consists of a 5-rig open-ocean camera deployment
  • A submersible site corresponds to a single dive with multiple transects

Sites are the parent unit of stations and serve as the core spatial key for integration across methods.

Table 2: expeditions.sites Table Schema
Field Type Required Description
ps_site_id STRING true Unique site ID (exp_id_method_###), e.g., FJI_2025_uvs_001
exp_id STRING true Foreign key to expeditions.info
method STRING true Field method used (e.g., uvs, pbruv, edna, sub)
region STRING true Broad geographic or administrative unit (e.g., Murat, Chocó, Tuamotu, Duff Islands).
subregion STRING true Intermediate feature within the region such as an atoll, island, gulf, or reef complex
locality STRING false Local named feature such as a village, bay, cove, reef (e.g., Lolieng, Ensenada Utría).
date DATE true Date of the site-level deployment in ISO 8601 format (YYYY-MM-DD)
time TIME true Local time of the deployment in 24-hour format (HH:MM:SS)
latitude FLOAT true Approximate latitude (decimal degrees, WGS84)
longitude FLOAT true Approximate longitude (decimal degrees, WGS84)
lead STRING true Name of the lead scientist or survey team lead
notes STRING false Optional comments, metadata, or field observations